


Unexpected

by TheButterflySings



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Barry and Caitlin are oblivious, Cisco and Leonard are really bad at keeping secrets, Established Relationship, Fluff, Leonard is an ass, M/M, Sarcastic Cisco
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-16
Updated: 2016-03-16
Packaged: 2018-05-27 03:40:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6268099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheButterflySings/pseuds/TheButterflySings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This really wasn't how Cisco planned to tell his friends he was dating a known criminal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unexpected

"But it's not my fault," Barry repeated for like, the zillionth time, and really, Cisco was way beyond over it. It didn't matter who claimed the fault, it was someone's fault, and now another piece of Cisco's tech was destroyed. Again. No one destroyed Cisco's tech. No one. Barry was indirectly responsible for the destruction of yet another suit, and that made for a very, very unhappy Cisco Ramon.

"I didn't ask who did it, and I don't care whose fault it was. My suit has been destroyed, yet again. This is like, the fifty-second time that I have to rebuild this fucking thing," Cisco said, motioning to the pieces of the suit that he was in the process of putting back together. He was not at all prone to over-reaction or over-exaggeration. Never, not even once.

"It's like the fourth," Barry mumbled, and Cisco spared him one loathing glance before returning to the task at hand. Barry slunk away before he pissed Cisco off even more. 

It wasn't even the suit. It was the tech inside the suit that took the longest to make and took the most material, material that Cisco didn't always have. He could afford more, obviously, could even use the S.T.A.R. Labs budget to get more, but that wasn't the point. Therma-threading wasn't easy, wasn't cheap, and then add in the built in defibrillators, heart and vital monitors, and locators. It wasn't like the therma-threading was a huge deal at the moment, because Captain Cold wasn't really a problem anymore. But he wasn't going to take any risks with Barry's safety. Cisco wouldn't mind any of this if it wasn't a project he'd already made, but this, this was just too boring now.

Cisco worked alone, and in silence, for the better part of an hour. It wasn't like he had a social life or anything. Sarcasm. Total sarcasm. Cisco actually did have a social life now that he had a boyfriend. But he actually wasn't going to be doing anything until later tonight, he'd been set to stay at S.T.A.R. Labs, anyway. Leonard (aka Snart, aka Captain Cold, aka criminal thief super bad guy, aka Cisco's boyfriend, hey) was doing something, which, Cisco didn't really know. He hadn't bothered to ask the details. If he'd known, he'd have to report to Detective Joe West and have his own boyfriend arrested, just on principle, and that wasn't even cool. So he didn't ask. Don't ask, don't tell. Same basic concept. Sort of. Not really, but so not the important point.

So when Leonard walked-- or more staggered-- into the cortex, Cisco, not expecting to see him until he got home, had every right to jump in surprise, drop what he was working on, and maybe even scream like a little girl in a haunted house. Not his fault. S.T.A.R. Labs really, really needed to update their fucking security, okay, it wasn't even a question anymore. Cisco's impulse, once his heart rate had turned back to, you know, not heart attack potential death range, was to ask what in the actual hell Leonard was doing at S.T.A.R. Labs when Barry, Caitlin, Harrison, Joe, Iris, and Jesse were still there. No one on the Flash team knew that Cisco was dating a known criminal, it would just be too... complicated. 

And then Cisco actually analyzed the situation, because he was a genius scientist/tech engineer, and that's what genius scientists/tech engineers did. Some sarcasm. Not much. Just a little. Obviously, Leonard had risked starting World War 3 with the Flash team (some exaggeration, not much, only a little) for a reason. And the way he staggered in, the way he was doubled over and leaning in the doorway for support, gave Cisco a great idea what that reason was. The idea was confirmed, like scarily confirmed, when Cisco saw red seeping through the fingers splayed on Leonard's side.

Without any out loud questioning, and a lot of in mind questioning, Cisco ran to his boyfriend and used an arm to prop him up. Ignoring Leonard's mumbled reassurances that he was fine (because really, said reassurances came out far too weak to be even slightly believable, and Cisco would slap Leonard for lying to him if he wasn't, well, dying), Cisco raised his voice and yelled at the top of his lungs, "Caitlin, I need you, like right now!"

The redhead doctor ran into the cortex from wherever she was, doing whatever she was doing, and whispered, "Oh my god," at the sight of Cisco Ramon supporting a bleeding-from-the-stomach-slash-side-area Leonard Snart. She didn't ask questions out loud, either, hurried to Leonard's other side, and helped prop him up. Together, they half walked, half dragged, Leonard to the medical area of the lab. And frankly, Cisco was probably going to stab his boyfriend (not literally, since it looked like someone else already had), if he didn't shut the fuck up about how "fine" he was. Like, dude, Cisco has a way above average IQ, you really aren't fooling him. So just shut up.

They lowered him, together, onto Caitlin's medical table, and Cisco thanked God, for like the zillion and twenty-second time (no joke) that his friend was a brilliant super amazing doctor. A brilliant super amazing doctor who didn't ask questions until after her patient was not dying on her table. Barry, Joe, and Harrison watched in amazed silence, and Cisco knew that their questions, like his and Caitlin's, would not remain so internalized. Someone was going to ask, and Cisco wasn't going to have answers. Fun times.

"What the hell happened to you?" Joe demanded, and there it was. Caitlin still wasn't bothering to ask, she was just sort of gathering rubbing alcohol, stitching supplies, and bandages. "Finally get into a fight with someone too strong for you to handle?"

"No," Leonard replied, and it would have appeared that he wasn't effected by the fucking knife wound (knife wound, knife wound, Cisco would be crying or something), except that he had a death grip on Cisco's hand and wasn't letting go, despite Barry's staring, and Cisco was probably blushing, but hey, whatever. "Too many, not too strong. They caught me--" The rest of whatever he'd been about to say cut off on a hiss. Caitlin had just poured, like, the entire bottle of rubbing alcohol into the wound, and yeah, even Joe and Harrison had to wince a little at that one. 

"Sorry," Caitlin said with an apologetic smile. "I had to."

"I'm used to it," Leonard responded with gritted teeth. And he didn't flinch as she finished cleaning and started stitching the wound, because he actually was used to it. It was a thing from the family that he'd had, his absolutely amazing father (so much sarcasm, Cisco knew what Lewis Snart had been capable of before Leonard... well, killed him). 

"You were telling us what happened?" Cisco prompted, trying to loose his hand and regain feeling since Leonard wasn't holding on so tightly. "Heist gone wrong, or..." He couldn't help sounding slightly disdainful and a little disappointed. Leonard had promised he would stop, Cisco didn't like the robbing and stealing and killing and almost dying that his boyfriend was commonly up to. Cisco doubted whether or not Leonard had actually stopped, or if he ever would. Knowing his boyfriend, it didn't seem likely.

Leonard looked up at Cisco, his eyes steady, if somewhat distant. He didn't look upset that Cisco jumped to that conclusion, or disappointed, but somehow his eyes pierced right through Cisco, caused his heart to twist. "I keep my promises, Cisco," Leonard said quietly, his tone calm. Controlled. Precise. Things Leonard always was. And yet Cisco still felt guilt for even thinking otherwise.

"Right," he mumbled. "Um. So what happened then?"

"And what's happening here?" Barry asked, motioning between Cisco and Leonard, because, well, duh, that wasn't exactly an exchange that happened between two people who were assumed to not like each other very much.

"We're holding hands and singing Lean on Me," Leonard answered sarcastically, raising a hand to flip Barry off. He turned his attention back to Cisco without waiting for a reply. "I got wind of a sex slave ring in the seedier side of Central City. I went to... stop it. In the best way I know. I took the leader out, but he had a lot of friends. They had me surrounded before I knew what was going on. I got out, barely."

"Didn't I tell you to be careful?" Cisco asked quietly, watching Caitlin's practiced hand sew the knife wound shut and then bandage it. 

"I was careful. Just not careful enough."

"Okay, I'm going to give you a shot of morphine," Caitlin said, readying a needle. "It'll numb the pain. You'll be a little out of it, I suggest you rest and relax until you've healed up some. I don't suspect you'll listen to me, but--"

"He'll listen," Cisco interrupted, and he and Leonard had a full minute long staring contest that Cisco totally won. It wasn't actually a staing contest, it was Leonard trying to like, assert his authority over Cisco or something, which sometimes worked, but mostly didn't, because Cisco was a stubborn fuck. And even if Leonard could kick Cisco's ass and do whaever he wanted, anyway, he usually listened to Cisco. Usually.

"I'll relax," Leonard said with a sarcastic little smile, leaning back against the table fully and glancing down at the bandage on his side. He closed his eyes, seemingly taking the opportunity to sleep, though Cisco knew better.

"Cisco, can we talk to you?" Barry asked, motioning for Cisco to follow him, Caitlin, Joe, and Harrison into the hall. Sighing, Cisco turned to follow them, but he didn't miss Leonard's lips curling into a half smirk. He was so going to like, beat his boyfriend later. Or at least ban him from sex. Something of the sort. Leonard was in trouble.

"So, do you mind telling us what all of that is?" Caitlin asked, motioning from Cisco to the room where Leonard was resting. 

"He was... I mean, he's not a bad guy anymore, so it was right to be concerned that he staggered into our cortex about to bleed to death. Like, we totally have this thing about everyone, even criminals, deserving to be saved, that was totally Barry's thing in the first place, you should probably blame him or--"

"Ramon," Harrison cut in, and Cisco shut up.

"That wasn't just common place concern. He knew he could come to you and you would help him, he held your hand the entire time, he made you promises, and he's listening to you about relaxing," Barry ticked off the points on his fingers. "That's pretty amazing for two people who aren't even friends, wouldn't you think Cisco?"

Cisco sighed, scratching the back of his neck. This was really not how Cisco planned to tell his friends that he was dating a known criminal. But it didn't look like he had much of an out here. "Uh. Well. About all that. We are... friends, now. Sort of. I mean, we're kind of... Dating." Cisco mumbled the last word too quietly to be heard, and his friends looked annoyed.

"What was that, Ramon? I couldn't quite hear you." Harrison was almost smirking, and fuck, that bastard fucking knew. He was having fun dragging Cisco over the coals like this.

"Let me put it this way," Leonard called from inside the room. "All those things Cisco wanted to do with my little sister however long ago? He's doing them with me now. Contain your jealousy, Barry."

Embarrassment. It was scientifically proven that you couldn't die from it, but Cisco was starting to believe that science was wrong.

Though, the looks on his friends faces, all but Harry, who totally didn't qualify as a friend, because really, fucking bastard, was so priceless that Cisco wished he could take a picture.

"For a bunch of scientists, you all are the least observant people I've ever met," Harry said, rolling his eyes. "I thought a pretty big indicator was when Cisco started riding home on the back of Snart's motorcycle every night." He walked away, leaving Cisco, Barry, Caitlin, and Joe gaping after him. He'd known, the whole fucking time? That dick.

"How long has this been going on?" Joe demanded, motioning between Cisco and the door to the room. 

Cisco shrugged weakly. "Like two months. I would have told you guys, but like, it's really not a secret that Leonard and Barry don't get along very well, and I was pretty sure everyone was going to freak out, and I enjoy living, and I enjoy everyone in this building, with like, one exception to be living, so I really didn't want to be the cause of world wars three, four, and five. Can you blame me?"

"I'm not even mad that you're dating him," Barry said, and bullshit, because that was a very mad sounding tone of voice, work on your lying skills, Barry Allen. 

"Good," Leonard interrupted, yet again, and Cisco willed whatever gods existed to please, for once, shut his boyfriend up. "It's not like you control Cisco's life." And thanks for not listening, whatever gods existed. 

"I'm just confused," Caitlin began slowly. "Last anyone knew, you two hated each other. Since he... kidnapped your brother and forced you to make another cold gun, heat gun, and a gold gun for his sister, turned around and betrayed us, has nearly killed Barry, and you, more than once. How did that relationship turn from that to... this?"

"People change," Cisco explained. "He's not... a bad guy anymore, guys. And if you'd take a chance to move beyond all that, you'd know that. He doesn't always handle things the best way, and he definitely pisses me off on like, a daily basis, but... I don't know. You can't make me explain what I feel. After Kendra, it was really hard not to get discouraged and doubt myself, a lot. And he's shown me that there's more to me than what I thought. He may not be the best person that's ever existed, but he's honestly really good for me. Even when we fight, even when he almost gets himself killed trying to take down prostitution rings, even though he promised me before he left this morning that he'd be careful." Cisco raised his voice enough that he knew there was no way Leonard wouldn't hear that last comment.

"I told you, I was being careful."

"If you were careful, you wouldn't have almost died!" Cisco retorted.

"Am I dead?" Leonard shot back. "No. So I believe I was plenty careful."

"Sex ban. I'm seriously considering a sex ban," Cisco mumbled to himself.

"I'd love to see you follow through with it," was Leonard's response, and yeah, that was a blush, yeah, science was wrong, Cisco was going to die of embarrassment.

"That was far more than I needed to hear about Cisco's sex life, ever, so I'm gonna go find Iris," Joe said, and he walked away, leaving Barry, Caitlin, and Cisco alone. Cisco, trying hard to hide his mortification, turned his attention back to them.

"You guys aren't super mad, are you? I know you don't trust him, and I know you don't like him, but I--" He was cut off by Leonard's door opening, and Leonard himself walking into the hallway to join him. And hey, that completely cut off any train of thought Cisco was trying to build on, because, you know, shirtless boyfriend. Not an unattractive shirtless boyfriend. Abs. 

"You're staring," Leonard pointed out unhelpfully, and Cisco barely stopped himself from smacking him or something. "And before you bitch at me, I'm going to lay back down. I just want to say my piece." He carefully laid his arm around Cisco's shoulders and gently pulled the younger man against his side. His good side, anyway. "You're talking a lot about Cisco, like this is anyone's choice but mine and his, and I suppose if he decides to break up with me because of you, he decides to break up with me. That's neither here nor there, and quite frankly, you wouldn't be the greatest friends if you allowed personal bias to ruin a relationship. You think I have the ego to think I'm the best person in the world for Cisco? You'd be wrong. I'm not, I don't consider myself to be. But that doesn't matter, because he does. And it doesn't matter to me what either of you say, or either of you do, because you don't have any say in this. I'm staying by Cisco's side until he tells me to go. And until that day comes, you'll have to deal with the fact."

"And," Cisco chimed in, though he didn't feel as though he needed to say much more, because really, winning speech, Cisco was surprised he didn't swoon or something. (No sarcasm, actual fact). "And I'm not telling him to go anywhere. If you guys want me off the team, fine. I'm just hoping our friendship is stronger than that."

"We're not kicking you off the team," Caitlin said, shaking her head. "This is just going to take some getting used to."

"Understatement of the century," Barry muttered under his breath before holding a hand out to Leonard. "So... Welcome to the team, I guess."

Leonard stared him down for a moment, and it was clear that these two were never going to get to the point of actual friendship. But then he took Barry's hand and shook it once. "Looking forward to working with you." And if that was a sarcastic statement, he didn't let it show. Barry glanced at Cisco, and then at Leonard, shook his head, and walked away. Caitlin paused just long enough to give Cisco a hug before joining him.

"That went far better than expected," Cisco mumbled.

"Like I've been telling you it would?" Leonard replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Go lay back down," Cisco scoffed.

"In a second," Leonard responded, turning Cisco to face him. He backed Cisco against the wall and pressed a kiss to his mouth, and okay, Cisco wasn't about to object. He knew Leonard was wounded, but he couldn't stop himself from pressing against his boyfriend and kissing back. Leonard didn't pull away until Cisco was breathless, and Cisco knew by that cocky smirk that he was going to want to slap Leonard for whatever statement came out of his mouth next. "So," Leonard began quietly, nipping lightly at lobe of Cisco's ear, "you sure about that sex ban?"

Cisco slapped Leonard's chest, blushing furiously, and ducked out from under his arm. stalking down the hall and leaving his boyfriend laughing quietly behind him. Really, Cisco thought, a sex ban wasn't seeming like a bad idea. Even if they both knew he couldn't follow through with it.


End file.
